Former Speaker Vassos Lyssarides was decorated Monday with the medal “Mkhitar Gosh”  by the President of the Armenian Republic. The medal was awarded by the Armenian Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan.

The ceremony was held in the office of the Speaker Yiannakis Omirou, in the presence of Cypriot MPs, the Representative of the Armenian Religious Group in the House Vartkes Mahdessian, Archbishop of Armenians in Cyprus Varoujan Herkelian and the Ambassador of Armenia in Cyprus, based in Athens, Gagik Ghalatchian.

Presenting the medal, Minister Hakobyan thanked Lyssarides for everything he has done for the Armenian people and for his services as Speaker of the Cyprus House when the Armenian genocide was recognized as a crime.

She said it is a great honour to bestow the medal to Lyssarides, who as she noted, “has left an important mark on the friendship between the two peoples”.

She noted that the medal “Mkhitar Gosh” is awarded to prominent political personalities.

Lyssarides expressing his appreciation for the honour, said that Cyprus and Armenia have a close bond. He noted that the criminal genocide of the Armenian people still awaits justice.

From his part, House Speaker Omirou said the presence of Hakobyan in Cyprus is indicative of the close fraternal ties between the two countries, which are further enhanced by the significant contribution of the Armenian community in Cyprus.

Relations between Cyprus and Armenia as well as the parliaments of the two countries, he noted, are based on common principles and values and similar troubles of the peoples of the two countries due to Turkey.

Omirou said that the Cyprus Parliament in cooperation with the National Assembly of Armenia and the Armenian community of Cyprus are planning a series of events to commemorate in 2015 the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide by Ottoman Turkey.